Even though I vacuum and dust continually!, cat hair gets up my nose, in my throat and "jumps" on my legs, makes me itch on my face and also seems to cause my itching uinder my breast area, around where my underwear where it is tight around the creases of my skin( inside thigh area for example). It also makes my mood suck! I have been on Singulair for one week. daily saline nose rinses, veramist nose spray. It seemed to help a little bit but now not much.

Do you think that this will ever get better? I am so disgustedl. If I don't have a vacuum cleaner, wet towels and anti-allergy spray with me constantly, I will get a bad attack of allergies and start coughing.

I have inside cats and two gunei pigs. I don't let then in the bedroom, I keep the door closed and have an air purifier but as soon as I wake up in the AM, I am itching again..like the cat hair is getting on me. If I do not wipe myself off before going to bed and applying anti-itch (cortizone cream) to areas where I am itching, I will be awake all night and start to itch on my scalp and in my ears!

Any advice? I have had skin allergy tests recently and it doesn't show positive for cat/dog allergies so they won't give me shots. I am at my wits end. I love my cats! But, I am seriously and sadly considering that I may have to get rid of them. Thank you for this web site and everyone that it here.

oh gosh you sound absolutely miserable....also like you've been doing everthg right. other than not owing a vac...I assume you have your reasons, but with animals in the household its almost a 'necessity'

I will send you a site that you may not have read already(?)...it does state that allergy testing can be wrong...
but if its not wrong than its very possible its not the cats you are allergic too...but your allergies are exacerbated by the hair anyway.

read the site, sorry I'm not real up on allergies although I know I do have some myself to my cats...mainly for me its sinus congestion, itchy eyes/ears/nose that sort of thing, I'v just started using aerius with some relief.
good luck to you hon, I sure hope you don't have to get rid of the cats....remember even if you do the dander will be everywhere in your home anyway so may not be the entire relief you are looking for. please keep us posted and know how your doing. welcome to our forum...

oh gosh you sound absolutely miserable....also like you've been doing everthg right. other than not owing a vac...I assume you have your reasons, but with animals in the household its almost a 'necessity'

I will send you a site that you may not have read already(?)...it does state that allergy testing can be wrong...
but if its not wrong than its very possible its not the cats you are allergic too...but your allergies are exacerbated by the hair anyway.

read the site, sorry I'm not real up on allergies although I know I do have some myself to my cats...mainly for me its sinus congestion, itchy eyes/ears/nose that sort of thing, I'v just started using aerius with some relief.
good luck to you hon, I sure hope you don't have to get rid of the cats....remember even if you do the dander will be everywhere in your home anyway so may not be the entire relief you are looking for. please keep us posted and know how your doing. welcome to our forum...

I have this on a lesser scale. Sometimes if Akira brushes up against my face at night, it feels like needles pricking my face. I still have worse problems with dust, and I think she does, too, so I would rather keep our usual routine and keep my precious Akira.

As soon as I can afford to get an air cleaner for the dust, which I'm told should help with the cat allergens some, too, I plan on getting one of those machines. You might consider getting one of the top rated models for your bedroom and one for the living room, the two places you likely spend the most time.

I have this on a lesser scale. Sometimes if Akira brushes up against my face at night, it feels like needles pricking my face. I still have worse problems with dust, and I think she does, too, so I would rather keep our usual routine and keep my precious Akira.

As soon as I can afford to get an air cleaner for the dust, which I'm told should help with the cat allergens some, too, I plan on getting one of those machines. You might consider getting one of the top rated models for your bedroom and one for the living room, the two places you likely spend the most time.

This doesn't sound like an allergic reaction to your cats. The allergen does not come from cat hair, it comes from a protein called glycoprotein, or Fel d 1m that is secreted by a cat's saliva that produces a histamine reaction in those that are allergic to the protein. A histamine reaction affects the breathing passages and typically causes coughing, sneezing, chest and/or nasal congestion or eye drainage. It rarely affects the skin. This sounds more like a reaction to to parasites, possibly fleas or dust mites (which thrive in beds). It could also be a sensitivity to fabrics such as latex (typically used in bras and other undergarments), or other anti wrinkling additives to clothing and bed sheets or to dryer sheets, detergents, and fabric softeners.

I would suggest you use a detergent without any such additives, and unscented dryer sheets. Make sure you don't have fleas in the house and thoroughly and regularly vacume your mattress and box springs. If none of that helps, I would suggest seeing a dermatologist. You.may have a chronic skin condition.

This doesn't sound like an allergic reaction to your cats. The allergen does not come from cat hair, it comes from a protein called glycoprotein, or Fel d 1m that is secreted by a cat's saliva that produces a histamine reaction in those that are allergic to the protein. A histamine reaction affects the breathing passages and typically causes coughing, sneezing, chest and/or nasal congestion or eye drainage. It rarely affects the skin. This sounds more like a reaction to to parasites, possibly fleas or dust mites (which thrive in beds). It could also be a sensitivity to fabrics such as latex (typically used in bras and other undergarments), or other anti wrinkling additives to clothing and bed sheets or to dryer sheets, detergents, and fabric softeners.

I would suggest you use a detergent without any such additives, and unscented dryer sheets. Make sure you don't have fleas in the house and thoroughly and regularly vacume your mattress and box springs. If none of that helps, I would suggest seeing a dermatologist. You.may have a chronic skin condition.

A) I wonder- did they also test to see if you are allergic to guinea pig?

B) You might look up and see where scabies attack a person's body and see if you think it's a possibility regarding your itching. I have had some experience with scabies because my grandma allowed some people in her home that likely brought them in with them. They are hard to get rid of. If you have somehow gotten them in your house, you have to wash all your clothes and bed linens in hot water, your drapes, etc. and ask the doctor for a prescription of elomite and follow the directions. We couldn't see the scabies, but they made us itch just the same and we had to get rid of them. I think it helped that we also moved grandma out of her carpeted, furnished home (for other reasons).

C) Also, did you test allergic to bacteria? I have a parent who is allergic to the bacteria in their own sweat. It can be very itchy. And iff you are anything like me, you sweat at night, and not only that, histamine levels go up at night. And sounds like getting undergarments that fit better wouldn't hurt your uncomfortable situation.

D) You mention a vacuum. Do you have a carpet? If so, you might think about replacing with hardwood floors, pergo, linoleum, VCT or etc.. Carpets can trap dander, despite using a vacuum cleaner.

E) If you feel you are having a contact dermatitis to the fur, you probably are already limiting your direct contact. Are you also perhaps wearing a light weight jacket to protect your arms when petting, and do you have furniture that is off limits to the cat (use scat cat or whatever) where you can feel it's a safe haven to sit? Has your vet (like the one I went to) ever offered to shave your cat during the worst of the shedding season? If you have to get rid of any animals, is there perhaps one that gives you a worse reaction on skin contact than another of your cats?

F) Did you have any airborne allergies according to the allergist? Could it be more than one issue going on simultaneously?

Also, you mention indoor cats plural. Is it possible you might cut down on the number without having to get rid of all your beloved cats? I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time!

A) I wonder- did they also test to see if you are allergic to guinea pig?

B) You might look up and see where scabies attack a person's body and see if you think it's a possibility regarding your itching. I have had some experience with scabies because my grandma allowed some people in her home that likely brought them in with them. They are hard to get rid of. If you have somehow gotten them in your house, you have to wash all your clothes and bed linens in hot water, your drapes, etc. and ask the doctor for a prescription of elomite and follow the directions. We couldn't see the scabies, but they made us itch just the same and we had to get rid of them. I think it helped that we also moved grandma out of her carpeted, furnished home (for other reasons).

C) Also, did you test allergic to bacteria? I have a parent who is allergic to the bacteria in their own sweat. It can be very itchy. And iff you are anything like me, you sweat at night, and not only that, histamine levels go up at night. And sounds like getting undergarments that fit better wouldn't hurt your uncomfortable situation.

D) You mention a vacuum. Do you have a carpet? If so, you might think about replacing with hardwood floors, pergo, linoleum, VCT or etc.. Carpets can trap dander, despite using a vacuum cleaner.

E) If you feel you are having a contact dermatitis to the fur, you probably are already limiting your direct contact. Are you also perhaps wearing a light weight jacket to protect your arms when petting, and do you have furniture that is off limits to the cat (use scat cat or whatever) where you can feel it's a safe haven to sit? Has your vet (like the one I went to) ever offered to shave your cat during the worst of the shedding season? If you have to get rid of any animals, is there perhaps one that gives you a worse reaction on skin contact than another of your cats?

F) Did you have any airborne allergies according to the allergist? Could it be more than one issue going on simultaneously?

Also, you mention indoor cats plural. Is it possible you might cut down on the number without having to get rid of all your beloved cats? I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time!

Even though I vacuum and dust continually!, cat hair gets up my nose, in my throat and "jumps" on my legs, makes me itch on my face and also seems to cause my itching uinder my breast area, around where my underwear where it is tight around the creases of my skin( inside thigh area for example). It also makes my mood suck! I have been on Singulair for one week. daily saline nose rinses, veramist nose spray. It seemed to help a little bit but now not much.

Do you think that this will ever get better? I am so disgustedl. If I don't have a vacuum cleaner, wet towels and anti-allergy spray with me constantly, I will get a bad attack of allergies and start coughing.

I have inside cats and two gunei pigs. I don't let then in the bedroom, I keep the door closed and have an air purifier but as soon as I wake up in the AM, I am itching again..like the cat hair is getting on me. If I do not wipe myself off before going to bed and applying anti-itch (cortizone cream) to areas where I am itching, I will be awake all night and start to itch on my scalp and in my ears!

Any advice? I have had skin allergy tests recently and it doesn't show positive for cat/dog allergies so they won't give me shots. I am at my wits end. I love my cats! But, I am seriously and sadly considering that I may have to get rid of them. Thank you for this web site and everyone that it here.

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